Blue-throated Hummingbird

About the Blue-throated Hummingbird

The blue-throated mountaingem, also known as the blue-throated mountain-gem or blue-throated hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae) is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in the United States and Mexico.

In the 19th century the blue-throated mountaingem was placed several different genera, and in the early 20th century in its own genus Cyanolaemus. Since the mid-1900s it has been in its present genus Lampornis. It has three subspecies, the nominate L. c. clemenciae, L. c. phasmorus, and L. c. bessophilus.

The blue-throated mountaingem is the largest hummingbird found in the United States. It is 11.2 to 12.8 cm (4.4 to 5.0 in) long. Males weigh an average of 8.4 g (0.30 oz) and females 6.8 g (0.24 oz). Both sexes have a medium-length black bill, though there is some variation among the subspecies and females' bills are longer than males'. Both sexes of all subspecies have a conspicuous white stripe behind the eye and a narrower stripe extending backward from the corner of its bill under a blackish cheek patch.

The nominate subspecies is the largest and has the longest bill. Adult males have... Wikipedia →